Posts for tag: sports physical

Your child is eager to start the school year so they can participate in sports. That’s great news! Keeping your child active is an important part of a healthy lifestyle and sports can be a great experience for many children; however, it’s also important that your child’s pediatrician performs a yearly sports physical to make sure that they are ready for physical activity.

A sports physical is necessary for every child regardless of their current health. In fact, some schools make it mandatory for children to get an annual sports physical before they participate in any school sports. Regardless of whether this physical is mandatory or not, it’s highly advised that all children get a sports physical once a year.

Your child’s sports physical will involve going through their medical history and conducting a physical examination. The physical examination is pretty self-explanatory. We will check their vitals, as well as their height and weight. We will perform a vision test and evaluate everything from their heart and respiratory system to their musculoskeletal system. The goal of a physical exam is to make sure that your child hasn’t incurred any past injuries or developed any health problems that could be exacerbated by physical activity.

A pediatrician can also answer questions and provide counseling on nutrition, healthy weight loss or gain, and habits that could help your child’s physical health. Remember to bring any questions along with you.

Besides the physical examination, we will also sit down with you and your child and ask questions about their medical history. It’s important to be as detailed as possible. If it’s the first time they are having a sports physical it’s important to bring in a list of any supplements or medications (both over-the-counter or prescription) that they are currently taking.

We will ask a series of questions to find out if there are any serious or chronic health problems that run in the family, if your child has experienced any past injuries, if they’ve ever undergone surgery or been hospitalized, if they have any allergies or if they have any current disorders or illnesses. It’s important to provide as much detailed history as possible so that our pediatric team can perform a thorough and comprehensive physical.

Don’t wait until the last minute to schedule your child’s sports physical. It’s important to get your child on the books before the summer is gone and the doctor’s schedule fills up. You don’t want your child being benched during the season because they didn’t get a sports physical. Call your pediatrician today.

Since your child was born they have been seeing their pediatrician quite often for checkups to make sure they are reaching developmental milestones and staying healthy. Of course, once your child is old enough to go to school there are new things to think about such as getting them a school or sports physical. In fact, many schools require this physical before a child can participate in school sports. “Why?” You might be wondering. Our Herndon, Great Falls, South Riding, and Fairfax, VA, pediatricians are here to explain.

What is a sports physical?

In order to understand the importance of a physical, it’s first important to understand what goes into this visit. A sports physical, sometimes referred to as a preparticipation physical examination (PPE), is an evaluation that determines if your child is healthy enough for the activity or sport that they want to play. Your child’s school may make this physical exam mandatory but even if they don’t it’s important that your child gets one each and every year.

A sports physical is made up of two components: going through their detailed medical history and then having one of our children’s doctor perform a thorough physical exam. Going through your child’s medical history is very important, as it can give us insight into health problems, hospitalizations, medications they are taking and even injuries that could hinder or negatively impact their health, particularly while being physically active. This is also a great time for parents to ask any questions or address any concerns they might have about their child’s health.

During the physical exam, we will check vital signs, record their height and weight, evaluate their musculoskeletal system and then check their vision, hearing, throat, heart and lungs. Our doctors will also ask your child questions about their diet, lifestyle and certain habits they have that could impact their physical health.

Why is a sports physical important?

This quick and painless exam is crucial to determining if there are any potential health issues or problems that could interfere with your child’s ability to play sports. Rest assured, many of these issues do have treatment options and ways to manage the symptoms so that your child can enjoy their chosen sport; however, not having these treatment plans in place could be a serious detriment to your child's health, which is why it’s important to come in once a year for a thorough evaluation.

With summer coming to an end it’s important that your child gets the sports physical they need to begin another successful and healthy school year. Don’t wait until the last minute, as appointments fill up quickly this time of year. Call Virginia Pediatric Group in Herndon, Great Falls, South Riding, and Fairfax, VA, to schedule your child’s sports physical today.